Kim Hyeonwoo pressed his forehead, having just received the news.
"Baek Yeoju ajumma..."
Hyeonmu, who was sitting next to him, crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.
"Hmm, I never imagined the Nine-tailed Fox would make such a choice."
Kim Hyeonwoo clenched his fists.
Baek Miho's birth mother, Baek Yeoju.
He knew well enough how powerful she was, just from the stories he had heard from his master, Hyeonmu.
It was hard to accept that such a powerful being was now protecting Jin Seoyun.
'Just what... is so good about that guy that everyone is clinging to him like this...?'
"Hyeonwoo."
Hyeonmu's voice snapped him back to reality.
"Ah... I apologize."
Hyeonmu dangled his short legs over the chair and continued.
"At any rate, if the Nine-tailed Fox is willing to sacrifice herself and intervene, it won't be easy."
Kim Hyeonwoo gritted his teeth and asked.
"Then... what should we do?"
"For now, it seems difficult to do anything other than continue to pressure Heugyosi."
Just then.
"Hyeonmu-nim! We have a big problem!"
A crow spirit flew in breathlessly, shouting.
"What is it?"
"Well... Taotie, one of the Four Fiends, along with several spirit leaders, attacked Heugyosi!"
"Taotie? Why would that idiot suddenly do that?"
"I heard... it happened because he was trying to get his hands on the Black Dragon's energy!"
Hyeonmu's face contorted.
"Haa... that guy really... has no fear."
The crow spirit caught its breath and quickly added.
"That's not all. Some other spirit leaders have also joined them. They are currently in a standoff in front of Heugyosi!"
"Now isn't the time to provoke them... those idiots have caused trouble. If Jin Seoyun, that guy, is dragged out in that chaos and gets devoured by them..."
Hyeonmu pressed harder on his forehead with his fingers, muttering lowly.
"...It will become uncontrollable."
"Master, now is our chance!"
"A chance?"
"If Taotie and the other spirits are fighting at Heugyosi, we can intervene and capture Jin Seoyun!"
Hyeonmu shook his head.
"No, it's too dangerous. Taotie is no match for Jin Seoyun. It would only strengthen him further."
"Then you mean we should just stand by?"
"That... is not it."
Hyeonmu slowly stood up.
"I must go. Even if it's just to prevent the worst-case scenario."
"Really?"
"Yes. But our reason for going is not to capture Jin Seoyun, but to stop Taotie."
Kim Hyeonwoo looked confused.
"Stop Taotie?"
"If Taotie is defeated by Jin Seoyun, he will be absorbed like Taowu. If that happens, Jin Seoyun will become even stronger."
"Then..."
"We are saving Taotie. Absurd as it sounds."
Hyeonmu sighed and said.
"Prepare. We depart immediately."
"Yes!"
Kim Hyeonwoo quickly began to prepare. It was an unexpected situation, but at least an opportunity to confront Jin Seoyun had arrived.
'This time, for sure....'
***
Baek Yeoju frowned, looking at the horde of spirits gathered below the city wall. Among them, Taotie, one of the Four Fiends with a massive body and fierce eyes, particularly stood out.
"Tsk, I can't understand what that coward was thinking, attacking us."
"More powerful spirits than expected have gathered. Many Heaven-grade spirits too."
Han Chaeyeon added in a tense voice.
Just then.
Below the city wall, Taotie stepped forward.
"Baek Yeoju! Surrender!"
Taotie's rough voice echoed through the city wall. Behind him, countless spirits growled menacingly.
"You can't fully intervene in the mortal realm anyway, can you? If you just hand over that guy with the Black Dragon's power, I won't touch the rest!"
"That idiot... still doesn't seem to know who I am."
Then, Taotie's lips slowly curled upwards.
"Heh heh... I know very well who you are. Baek Yeoju, daughter of the Queen Mother of the West. But... don't forget. In the mortal realm, you can never use your full power."
Taotie let out a sinister laugh, put his hand into his pocket, and pulled something out, holding it high.
A small, jet-black orb shimmering with light. Golden patterns were etched within it.
Baek Yeoju's eyes widened.
"How do you have that...?"
Taotie licked his sharp teeth with his tongue and laughed.
"You know what this is, don't you? Yes, it's the Heavenly Seal Stone!"
Han Chaeyeon gasped in shock.
"The Heavenly Seal Stone? If that's true..."
"Exactly. Using this can temporarily sever the connection between the Heavenly Realm and the mortal realm. Then, Baek Yeoju, no matter if you're the daughter of the Queen Mother of the West, you won't be able to draw upon the power of the Heavenly Realm!"
Baek Yeoju's expression hardened. The Heavenly Seal Stone was an extremely rare artifact, a dangerous item that could cause great chaos in both the Heavenly Realm and the mortal realm if misused.
"Taotie, I don't know where you got that... but do you know what will happen if you use such a thing recklessly?"
"I know! But it doesn't matter. Such side effects are nothing if I can get my hands on the Black Dragon's power!"
Taotie raised the Seal Stone high.
"Now, this is your last chance! If you don't hand over Jin Seoyun, I will activate this!"
Taotie's voice echoed from below the city wall.
Baek Yeoju gritted her teeth. If the Heavenly Seal Stone was activated, not only would her power be greatly restricted, but it was clear that unexpected chaos would befall the entire city.
"What will you do?"
Han Chaeyeon asked worriedly.
"That foolish guy... he brought something truly dangerous."
Baek Yeoju glared at the Heavenly Seal Stone with sharp eyes.
"Chaeyeon, go call Seoyun for me."
"Understood."
Han Chaeyeon immediately spread her wings. And in an instant, she flew quickly over the city wall towards the secluded training ground.
Baek Yeoju remained alone on the city wall, looking down at Taotie without even bothering to tidy her wind-blown hair.
"...Soon, you will regret this, Taotie."
***
Han Chaeyeon folded her wings and landed softly at the entrance of the secluded training ground. She placed her hand on the door, gathered spirit energy at her fingertips, and pushed hard.
The heavy door was designed to respond only to specific spirit energy, and its unusual weight indicated how solidly and heavily it was constructed.
Kiiiiiik...
Through the slowly opening gap in the door, the inside became visible. The pristine appearance it had when first completed was nowhere to be seen; the training ground was covered in sword marks haphazardly carved into the walls and floor.
And in the center of it all.
Biyeon and two other women sat quietly. Upon seeing them, Chaeyeon was about to speak urgently when-
'Shh, quiet.'
Biyeon's voice echoed in her mind. Han Chaeyeon gasped in surprise, quickly closed her mouth, and hastily lightened her steps. Carefully, she moved inside as silently as possible.
What came into her sight then was Jin Seoyun, sitting naked in a lotus position.
A blue glow enveloped his entire body, rippling and spreading like a living creature. The power filling the training ground grazed the walls and floor, carving thin cracks and making even the air tremble.
'Seoyun is currently breaking through a wall. So... just watch quietly.'
Biyeon's voice brushed through her mind again.
Han Chaeyeon unconsciously held her breath. The aura emanating from him was on a completely different level than before. It was rough yet stable, and the pressure felt within it was enough to inspire fear.
-Kuaaaang!
A sudden explosion erupted from outside the training ground. The shock, like an earthquake, traveled through the walls and into the room.
Han Chaeyeon was startled for a moment, turning her head towards Biyeon and whispering urgently.
"The situation outside isn't good."
Biyeon briefly closed her eyes, then opened them.
"...Hongyeon, Hayeon. Go outside and help."
"Understood, Biyeon-nim."
Hongyeon immediately stood up and bowed her head.
"Yes."
Hayeon also replied softly, following behind.
As the two women moved carefully and disappeared, a suffocating tension and silence once again filled the training ground.
***
Before my eyes was a colossal wall.
That wall, which I had faced countless times. I always thought I had to overcome it, had to smash it. But today was different.
That wall, which was as tall as Mount Tai and only yielded a small crack no matter how many times I struck it, was now... faintly trembling.
"It's different from before."
I muttered lowly and slowly raised my eyes. What came into my sight was a scene I had never witnessed before. On that wall, which used to be just a smooth, colorless surface, intricate patterns were now etched.
At the very bottom, a faintly glowing Taegeuk symbol was carved, representing the harmony of Yin and Yang, and below it, patterns that seemed to symbolize fire, wind, and so on, were visible.
Above them, the martial arts techniques I had honed until now were intricately drawn. The Shadow Moon Heavenly Sword Dance, from its beginning to its completion, was laid out in a long sequence, as if proving the path I had walked.
And... at the very top.
"......A vagina?"
No matter how I looked at it, it was a meticulously depicted female lower body. And its center was unusually emphasized, as if intentionally so.
'Is this... the culmination of my enlightenment?'
The path I had traveled flashed before my eyes like a revolving lantern.
The Libido App.
The power, abilities, relationships, dominance, pleasure, growth I gained through it... Martial arts, swordsmanship, ultimately, the source of all of it was the desire hidden within me, which began with the Libido App.
'Now... I understand.'
I slowly extended my hand. I no longer tried to forcibly break it.
The moment my fingertips touched the wall, it began to ripple like water. As if it had been waiting for my touch, the entire massive wall created waves and transformed.
And from its center, right where I placed my hand, cracks slowly began to form. The tiny fissures spread across the entire wall like living things, growing larger and deeper.
'Indeed, people... should live doing what they love.'
This wall was not merely an obstacle to overcome. It was not something to be shattered and forcibly broken through, but a process of confronting and accepting myself.
And the core of that process was not forgetting my fundamental nature.
Desire, pleasure, dominance, obsession.
All those emotions and instincts had shaped me. Power, martial arts, victory-they were all just built upon that foundation.
-Kuaaaang!
The wall completely crumbled. Beyond it, a brilliant light poured in.
I had reached a new realm. The energy emanating from my body was incomparably more powerful than before. But at the same time, it was perfectly controlled.
I slowly opened my eyes. Biyeon and Han Chaeyeon, who had been watching me in the training ground, looked on with surprised expressions.
"It's over."
I said as I stood up. Six months of long training had finally been completed.
"Seoyun, it's a big problem!"
Han Chaeyeon urgently spoke.
"Taotie came with the Heavenly Seal Stone and is threatening us!"
"Taotie?"
It seemed a lot had happened during the six months I was gone.